Former governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he will not come down to the level of a child by trading insults with minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday, Amaechi stated that Wike was once his chief of staff and therefore ranks beneath him politically.
“I was once his boss. Whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no,” said Amaechi.
At his 60th birthday celebration last week, Amaechi had remarked that just like millions of Nigerians, he is “hungry”.
Wike had dismissed Amaechi’s comments as a ploy for political relevance. The FCT minister claimed that Amaechi is not hungry for food but “for political power”.
In 2021, Wike said he made Amaechi governor.
“I was the one God used to make Amaechi governor. I will even give you a tape from what he said in church; that after God, I’m next. But he went on national television to say that I was his staff, his employee. It wasn’t funny, but I said no problem,” Wike said.
“We all sat to make him the governor and I was the one who championed it. How do you call someone who made you governor an employee?
“Even after he became governor, he sought my advice on how to run his government and offered me commissioner of finance but I rejected the offer because I wanted to be the chief of staff.”
Amaechi refuted the claim that Wike played a role in his election as governor.
“God, Peter Odili, the judiciary and the Rivers state people made me governor,” he said.
“Ask him how he made me governor. I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children.”
Amaechi said he appointed Wike as chief of staff instead of commissioner for finance so he could monitor him closely.
“I wanted him as chief of staff so I could supervise him. I didn’t offer him commissioner for finance. You see, I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children,” he added.
“You know, he made himself chief of staff. He made himself governor. He made himself minister. He made himself local government chairman.”
He also faulted Wike’s style of politics, accusing him of lacking maturity and besmirching his family name.
“There’s no more respect for family names. People just do and say anything,” said Amaechi
